Other Reasons to "Spare the Air" (apart from Global Warming)

There is no doubt that our climate is warming - that fact everyone agrees on. Some question whether it is caused by humans and our use of fossil fuels and insist that this is normal, that the earth has always gone through heating and cooling phases. Well, they are right, but missing one critical point - the change in temperature right now is happening at a rate mush faster than it ever has in history. The amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is well above the highest levels scientists have been able to find anywhere in earth's past and the highest levels of carbon have always coincided with high temperatures. There is no doubt that global warming is happening, quickly, and is caused by us. But for those that still don't believe that, or think that their little contribution can't help save the planet (and therefore do nothing), here are reasons to reduce your emissions that make sense no matter what your belief.

1. Pollution
Every bit of carbon dioxide pumped out of our cars, furnaces, factories, and power plants goes right into the air we breathe. And it's not just CO2 in those emissions - there are countless other harmful pollutants that get little acknowledgement - because they aren't causing global warming. Anyone remember acid rain? Fact is, everything we emit ends up in our air and therefore in our lungs. Our trees and plants can only process so much - and considering how many we have cut down and paved over, it's not going to get any better. So the next time you start your car, think for a second about where those exhaust fumes are going. All we're really doing is killing ourselves - very slowly.

2. Waste
All emissions we send into the air are waste; in the case of fossil fuels the emissions by-products of combustion. By reducing emissions, we reduce waste. Reducing waste means processes are more efficient - we can do more with less. Being more efficient means saving money. So can anyone explain to me why so many companies are resisting carbon emission caps? It's very clear: reducing emissions means being more efficient, which saves money - and isn't that what every company is trying to do in the first place? Yes, there is an initial investment to be made - but that investment creates jobs, and the results are money savings that last far longer than the time it takes to recoup the investment. Of course the oil companies want us to use more oil - but even they are dumb if they think the oil will last forever. At some point we have to stop wasting it and they need to diversify. On a personal level - use less fuel (reduce waste) and save yourself some money. It doesn't get much easier than that.

Whether you believe in global warming or not, the task before us remains the same - we must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and cut our emissions dramatically before it's too late. Remember there are 6 billion of us on earth - every step each one of us takes adds up to a huge difference.

Why The Suburbs of Today Are Destined To Be the Ghettos of Tomorrow

We hear a lot these days about building more compact and mixed use developments in the suburbs. Commonly known as New Urbanism, several projects have been built under this premise, such as McKenzie Towne in Calgary. These communities typically have a town centre much like that of a small town within walking distance of the entire neighbourhood. The overall design of the houses and commercial structures is generally "nostalgic" with everything made to look like an idyllic small town. I like to call it Disneyfication, but I must admit these neighbourhoods do end up looking and feeling very warm and friendly.

Behind the warm, fuzzy feeling, however, New Urbanism communities are far from sustainable and it's hard to even call them "green". Yes, they have managed to fit more homes per acre and a wider variety of housing along with commercial space, but the fact remains that it is still a completely car-oriented development. Very few of those living in the community can actually work there, so most still have long commutes into the city. The majority of the homes are still single family residences. The ideal of the house with a garage and a backyard doesn't go away in a New Urbanism community - the house may be smaller with a smaller yard, but it remains a single family home. The homes themselves are built to the same standard as any other suburban home - which is typically to the minimum code required. Fortunately there are new standards being developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to certify how green a development really is.

So why will our suburbs become ghettos? Well, here are two key reasons:

1. Single family homes are about as inefficient a way to live as we can get. Four exterior walls, a roof and a basement floor all exposed to the outside - that's 6 surfaces transmitting cold or heat from outside. (OK, granted, in summer basements help with cooling - but they are not healthy spaces due to their year long coolness, darkness and generally poor air quality). Reduce the number of walls and you save energy. For those still wanting a yard of their own, a semi-detached house has 5 surfaces, and a rowhouse 4. Stack a few rowhouses or semis one atop another and you get down to 2 or 3 surfaces. Then there's the ultimate energy saver, the highrise condo. Whether the building is 4 or 40 stories tall, residents only have to heat a space with 2 or even 1 exterior wall.

2. No matter how small the single family home, it is never going to be of adequate density to truly support a transit system, so the car remains king.

And why are these two items a problem? Energy use. We all saw and suffered from it last year - a huge spike in energy prices. Despite the retreat since then, there is no question at all that those prices will be back. The oil is running out, no one disputes that. The only debate is over when. Heating our homes, driving our cars and generating most of our electricity comes from oil and related resources. When those costs rise, so do our utility costs.

Eventually there will be a breaking point where people quite simply can't afford to live in a big house of their own. Prices for homes will drop dramatically as the cost of oil goes up and up and people flock to more efficient residences. Those who can afford to will move closer to the city centre. Those that can't will be forced to stay in the suburbs and make do. You can see where this is going - the opposite happened after WWII when everyone fled to idyllic suburban communities and only the lower income segment of the population remained downtown with tragic consequences that we are still trying to rectify today. The opposite is going to happen unless we change our habits. Some will be able to go solar, better insulate their homes, drive hybrids or electric cars, but the fact is that no matter what, those all cost money.

The smart people are already realizing we have to change. I'm not suggesting that everyone live in a high rise condo or even give up their home (though I think it's a good suggestion) but be ready for what's coming. Start greening your home now before it's too late. It's easy to do and will pay for itself before you know it. And I haven't even touched on the health and lifestyle benefits of living in more green and compact communities - that's for another time.